Black and White
by Lisa12
Summary: Monica’s the subject of an unusual experiment - a bit strange, I'm very bored. DRR Please R/R - Enjoy! :)
1. Default Chapter

Black and White By Lisa Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with the creators of these characters and I don't own them. This is written for non-profit purposes. Note: I also have no medical knowledge so I'm making it all up :) Summary: Monica's the subject of an unusual experiment. DRR  
  
Monica opened her eyes. All around her it was white. The walls, the floor, it was all she could see. If in fact she was seeing at all. Her breathing was heavy and she felt tired. I've been drugged, she thought to herself, trying to sit up. Jesus where am I? She couldn't even see a door. It's another hospital, she believed momentarily. But she hadn't been in an accident.  
  
FLASH!  
  
Monica closed her eyes, blinding her from the huge ball of light that seemed to originate from directly in front of her. When she opened her eyes, the flashing stayed, temporarily blinding her and preventing her from seeing anything else. After several minutes, she recovered, and now everything was black. Everywhere she looked was black. She could hardly see her own hand in front of her face. She backed up against a wall, waiting nervously and fiddling with her middle right hand finger, the one that should have had her ring on it, but it didn't.  
  
*  
  
John opened the door to his home, walking out and locking the door behind him. He felt himself kick something across the other side of the hall, and walked to it, bending over and picking it up. It was a large, silver ring. A woman's. And he knew whose. He looked up, half expecting to see Monica standing there. How did it get onto his porch? He put it in his pocket and went to work. If it wasn't hers, he would return it to the floor that night. After all, someone might come back looking for it.  
  
*  
  
"Scully, you seen Agent Reyes this morning?" John asked as he arrived down in the FBI basement. Scully shook her head.  
  
"No, I haven't. Why?"  
  
"I think I have her ring."  
  
"You think?" Scully asked, raising an eyebrow as if to ask 'how?' Doggett handed it to her. She looked at it.  
  
"Sure looks like it," John said as he handed it to her. Scully was looking at it as closely as she could, as though there was something she was straining to see.  
  
"John do you know why she wears that ring?"  
  
"Nup," he replied.  
  
"I don't think she ever takes it off..."  
  
"I'm sure it carries some kind of significance."  
  
"It has an inscription. Beautiful," she read.  
  
"That it?" Scully nodded. "Well what's that supposed to tell us? Was it only just done?"  
  
"Doesn't look it no, it's faded."  
  
"Agent Scully I'm not following." Scully shrugged.  
  
"Neither am I. I have no idea what I'm meant to be talking about John. Why don't you ask her yourself?"  
  
*  
  
The room flashed white again as soon as Monica started to move, and she fell onto her hands and knees as the impact hit her. It was physical, and she could feel the light blinding her, scorching her eyes even though she held them shut, her hands covering them. It was the fifth time the lights had flashed white. In half an hour or so - she'd lost track of time - it would be dark again.  
  
*  
  
Scully was aware that John was looking at her. She tried to ignore it, but decided it was best to get him talking.  
  
"Yes?" she asked, glancing up.  
  
"I think I should drive around there."  
  
"Okay," Scully replied. She was sure there was nothing wrong with Monica, that she must have rostered a day off for one reason or another. She couldn't see why John was so worried.  
  
"You sure?"  
  
"Yeah, if it'll make you feel better."  
  
*  
  
John walked into Monica's apartment after discovering that the door was open. He walked through. There were no dishes that hadn't been wash, everything was stacked in the drying rack and appeared dry. Nothing new. He walked into the bedroom. The bed was pulled back and slept in. It hadn't been made. Her clothes from the previous day were on the floor. He couldn't find any sign of pyjamas and assumed she'd disappeared during the middle of the night.  
  
In the bathroom the toothpaste was sitting on the bench, and seemed to be out of place. The rest of the bathroom was spotless. It's been cleaned, Doggett realised. Sure enough the cleaning equipment was on the floor behind him. It hadn't been neatly put away. It was sprawled in every direction. John opened the top cabinet and found what he would ordinarily expect to find: women's deodorant, a brush and comb, general medical supplies including bandaids and disinfectant, spare soap, a couple of razors, and those other women's things that Doggett didn't like to dwell on. He closed the cupboard door, turning back. There were no clues as to where she'd gone. The bin didn't have much in it. Mostly tissues. He did, however, find an empty prescription bottle. He read the label. It was hers, all right. He picked up his phone, calling Scully and asking her about the pills.  
  
"It's a drug that was taken by people recovering from eating disorders ten or twenty years ago. Why?"  
  
"Because Monica has a bottle in her house."  
  
"Are they-"  
  
"They're hers. I don't understand; she doesn't have an eating disorder."  
  
"John, I said ten or twenty years ago. What's the date?"  
  
"1985! She only threw it in the bin recently-"  
  
"So she's not there?"  
  
"No, it looks like she got up in the middle of the night and cleaned the bathroom, it's spotless, and never got back to bed." Scully sighed.  
  
"All right. See if she has any pictures of herself with this ring on her finger around there. I want to make sure it's hers."  
  
*  
  
Scully looked frantic when Doggett arrived back at the offices. Skinner and Follmer were down there as well.  
  
"I got the pictures," John began, before he saw everyone standing there. "What's happened?"  
  
"You got sent a tape, Agent Doggett," Follmer started. John handed the photographs to Scully, who picked up the ring and sat directly under the desk lamp.  
  
"Looks the same," she said quickly. "I'd say it was hers."  
  
"So the ring was delivered to your house, and this was delivered to your desk-" Skinner handed John the tape.  
  
"What's on it?" he asked. They didn't answer him. "Why didn't you call me?"  
  
"You were on your way," Scully said. John put it into the video player. Everything was black and for a moment John thought it was a fault with the player. Then there was a loud noise, and Monica was in the corner of the room, huddled. She didn't move for a very long time, and the light started flashing again. Black, white, black, white. John turned to Scully.  
  
"What's making that flash?" She shrugged.  
  
"We're working on it." Doggett turned back to the video, watching closely as the light flashed on and off. It appeared there was another figure walking up to Monica, bending over her. Then the room flashed white again, revealing her huddled in the corner, just as she had been before, with not another person in sight.  
  
"Is she alive there?" Doggett asked. Scully nodded.  
  
"Yes, she's breathing from what I can see. Keep watching." After several more minutes her head lifted momentarily before falling back into her knees, which were drawn to her chest. Everything went silent, and as soon as she tried to lift her head the lights flashed off again, and everything went black. Follmer hit 'stop'.  
  
"That's all there is," he said.  
  
"How did it get here?"  
  
"I don't know," Scully replied. "I went to get some details on this ring and when I came back it was there. I need to get this tape to the light experts."  
  
"What did you find on the ring?" John asked as Skinner took the tape away with him to get it analysed.  
  
"It's not as old as I thought, it was made by a New York jeweller that a friend recognised. I rang the jeweller, and he looked that batch of designs up in his books. It was made the same time that you all were in New York."  
  
"Does he remember that particular ring?"  
  
"No. Any idea why someone would want Monica?"  
  
"No," John replied.  
  
"It has to be something connected to us. Maybe you. Do you remember that ring?"  
  
"You think the ring has something to do with it?"  
  
"Perhaps."  
  
"I don't know anything about the ring," Doggett said.  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"You think I wouldn't tell you if I did?" He exclaimed, becoming agitated. "Just because she got it in New York! Why don't you ask Follmer, he was there, he was closer to her than I was!" He walked out of the office as Scully picked up the phone.  
  
*  
  
When Doggett returned, he found Scully talking over the phone to who he guessed were the light experts. She hung up when she saw him.  
  
"They don't know what's causing the changing lights, but they think it could induce some form of hypnosis."  
  
"Hypnosis?"  
  
"Yeah, a type of hypnosis that's more like the rapid eye movement stage of sleep."  
  
"They're making her dream? Didn't look like it."  
  
"Not dream. I think she's in some kind of trance."  
  
"And?"  
  
"And if she hasn't been protecting her eyes properly, she could have damage."  
  
"What kind of damage?"  
  
"They're not sure. They can't get the frequency of light right because of the video. As well as that, the figure you think you see when the lights start flashing rapidly, it's not actually there, it's an illusion."  
  
"An illusion?"  
  
"They used infra-red and Monica shows up, this other figure doesn't."  
  
"Can they get an outline?"  
  
"They're working on it."  
  
*  
  
Monica kept her head down as she heard footsteps. Lights began to flash on and off in front of her again and she felt someone grab her. They dragged her across a distance, the world becoming black then white then black then white. Throwing her to the ground, she felt something pierce her side.  
  
*  
  
"What else did Monica work on in New York?" Scully asked Follmer. He shrugged.  
  
"Lots of cases- We-"  
  
"This would have been something big. It would have affected her in some way."  
  
"I'm really not sure."  
  
"Did you get her the ring?"  
  
"No, she just wore it one day. Told me she'd bought it for herself." Scully nodded, thinking.  
  
*  
  
Doggett sat in Monica's kitchen, thinking. She had to be somewhere. Where would she be? He stood and walked around the house again. He hadn't touched anything apart from a few photographs that had been in the top drawer near her bed, ones that he had brought to Scully earlier. He opened the drawer again, flicking through them. There were several of Monica with Follmer, others of when she was much younger. He realised that she didn't have any others since she'd come to Washington. None of the background scenery was familiar. The only thing she had was a newspaper clipping featuring herself and Doggett in a black and white picture. It was an article that Doggett remembered well, bagging the purpose of the federal security agencies.  
  
John heard a crash behind him and drew his gun, running back to the front of the apartment. Monica was lying on the ground, unconscious. Someone must have just dropped her there. He glanced out the door, but didn't see anyone. He wasn't going to run after something he couldn't see when Monica was lying there, and he could see she needed help. He called for an ambulance as he checked her pulse. It was steady, if not slightly faster than normal. She was in a dark singlet top and loose shorts. They were too big for her and whoever it was had obviously allowed her to be changed before being returned.  
  
Scrawled on her right arm was a message: Leave the blindfold on for 48 hours and she'll be okay. John focussed on her face. There was a dark panel lying across her eyes and the bridge of her nose. A band of elastic that was tied behind her head held it there. He touched her cheek briefly, then her forehead, as sirens were heard in the distance. She wasn't overheated or cold, but she seemed clammy. Probably, he guessed, she was dehydrated and malnourished.  
  
*  
  
Scully entered with Skinner and Follmer. Monica was still unconscious and John was sitting next to her, glancing at a file. He turned to see them.  
  
"The doctors want to take the blindfold off," Scully stated. "I'm not sure that they shouldn't."  
  
"No way," John replied. "It said not to take it off, and I believe it." Monica's arm had been washed and the marker had been removed, but it had been photographed beforehand. "What came back from tox?"  
  
"Tranquilliser. We think she was injected with it to start with, taken to wherever and it appears as though that's what she's under the influence of now."  
  
*  
  
Monica took a deep breath and John noticed it. He took her hand and felt her respond, whereas previously she hadn't. Her lips parted and she took a moment.  
  
"John," she choked. "Water." She was connected to a drip that was administering fluids but John supposed her mouth was dry, and got her a cup, with a bent straw. She took only a sip, before leaning back into the pillows. She went to touch her face but Doggett took her hand.  
  
"No, don't do that," he spoke. "You've got to keep it on, all right?"  
  
"Keep what on?" she asked, turning her head slightly to look at him.  
  
"You've got a blindfold on, Monica."  
  
"What? No I don't, I can see you. How-"  
  
"You can see me?"  
  
"Yeah..." She took another deep breath.  
  
"Just take it easy."  
  
"Yeah, I can see you."  
  
"Can you touch my nose?" Monica nodded, reaching out with her free hand and touching John's nose with her index finger, letting her hand slip and run down his cheek. Doggett took her hand.  
  
"How can I see you?" she asked. She sounded scared, and John squeezed her hand, gently bringing it back down to the bed.  
  
"I don't know Monica, but you've just got to rest. We can't take the blindfold off for another day." She nodded. "Do you know who took you?"  
  
"No..." Her voice shook as she tried to sit up further. Doggett helped her.  
  
"Don't cry, it's okay," he whispered to her as he got extra pillows to help support her better and lay her back against them.  
  
"I'm not crying," she snapped. John sat back down, but not before kissing her forehead briefly.  
  
"Just rest. Scully's going to come and help us work this out soon."  
  
*  
  
"What's your opinion?" John asked Scully as they stood outside in the hallway. The doctor was in with Monica for the time being.  
  
"I think she's seeing through the blindfold," Scully replied.  
  
"How? It's a dark piece of cloth?"  
  
"I don't think that's all it is. Whatever it is, Agent Doggett, it could be the answer to a possible cure for some forms of blindness. She should have suffered severe nervous damage. Even watching those lights flash on tape was bright enough."  
  
"I know."  
  
"So we'll take it a day at a time. I can't know anything until we actually get a look at her eyes, and we can't do that until tomorrow morning."  
  
*  
  
"Here," Doggett stated as he sat down next to Monica that night. "Is this yours?" He held it up for her to see, even though she was still blindfolded. Monica took it from him and held it in her hand.  
  
"Yeah," she replied, slipping it back on her finger.  
  
"Where'd you get it?"  
  
"New York, I bought it one day."  
  
"You got it engraved?"  
  
"What? No..." She took it off again. "I...I can't see any inscription." She handed it to him and John looked at it.  
  
"Jesus," he whispered, handing it back to her. "It's gone."  
  
"What's gone?"  
  
"It said 'beautiful' on the inner band."  
  
"It never has," Monica whispered, watching him through her blindfold. "You think it's connected?"  
  
"Could be. You have no idea who did this to you? Or what happened?"  
  
"I don't remember anything. The last thing I remember was that I was cleaning the bathroom."  
  
*  
  
"Is it possible that when we saw what we thought was her awake, on the tape, she was actually asleep, and asleep the whole time?" Doggett asked Scully. She seemed to nod.  
  
"I think she was asleep the whole time. I think it was an experiment with her sleep. But there's something else, because that ring was engraved, I'd swear it, and now...now it's not?" John nodded.  
  
"And why Monica?"  
  
To be Continued... 


	2. Black and White Part 2

Black and White By Lisa Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with the creators of these characters and I don't own them. This is written for non-profit purposes. Note: I also have no medical knowledge so I'm making it all up :) Summary: Monica's the subject of an unusual experiment. DRR  
  
Doggett had to stand back as Scully and the optic specialist sat on either side of Monica's bed, preparing to take off the blindfold.  
  
"Monica I want you to close your eyes," Scully started. "They closed?"  
  
"Yes," Monica replied, sounding nervous. After all, she didn't even realise she was wearing a blindfold.  
  
"I'm going to take it off, and you'll open your eyes very slowly okay?"  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Just relax," the optic specialist added as Scully removed the blindfold. The eyelids were bruised, but it was light bruising, ones that were healing.  
  
"Open slowly," Scully started. Monica hesitated but Scully took her hand. John watched nervously in the background. She opened her eyes cautiously, her eyelids flickering. Once she had them open she was bombarded with questions and answered them as she heard them.  
  
Scully watched as she looked over at John.  
  
"Where are they?" she asked. Doggett walked up to her.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Scully. The other doctor."  
  
"You can't see them?" She shook her head.  
  
"I can only hear them."  
  
Scully and the doctor exchanged worried looks.  
  
"You can see the rest of this room?" John asked. Monica nodded. John took her hand and reached it out to touch Scully's cheek. Monica could obviously feel something.  
  
"Who's that?"  
  
"Scully, Monica," Scully replied, taking her hand. Monica pushed back in her bed.  
  
"What's happened?" she asked.  
  
"It might just take some time," the specialist said. "I'm going to shine a light in your eyes to have a look okay?" Monica nodded, her eyes watering profusely as the light was shone directly in them. "They're bloodshot, but that should heal. We're going to put drops in your eyes and we're going to get you to just rest, see if it improves within another day."  
  
"Okay," Monica replied, hesitant.  
  
The specialist handed Scully the drops.  
  
"I'll be back later," he said.  
  
"Thankyou doctor," Scully said, handing the drops to Doggett. "You might be better off doing this - She can see you." Monica watched as a shadow passed from Scully's hand to John's, and became a small eyedropper.  
  
*  
  
"Is she really gone?" Monica asked that night after Scully had said goodbye to her. She had felt someone take her hand, but still could not see her friend.  
  
"Yes," John replied. "You think this is a stage in your recovery?'  
  
"What happened to me?"  
  
"You were drugged, taken to a room where you were submitted to bright light impulses that would have ordinarily sent you blind and brought back to us."  
  
"I wasn't hurt or anything any other way?"  
  
"It doesn't look like they touched you. Watched the medics look you over myself."  
  
"So why did they want to hurt my eyes?"  
  
"I don't think they did."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"That blindfold, you could see when you had it on. It seemed to be healing your eyes."  
  
"Do you still have it?" he nodded. "You think if I put it on for a bit longer it'll help me see everyone else?"  
  
"Scully's taken it to the lab." Monica sighed. "We may as well put these drops in eh?"  
  
"I guess."  
  
Doggett tilted her head back and held her lid open, preparing to drop in the liquid.  
  
"Doggett stop!" Scully called from the door. John and Monica both jumped. The drops had fallen on Monica's cheeks and John wiped them off quickly, in case it caused some kind of reaction. Scully ran over to them, looking into Monica's eyes.  
  
"What is it Scully?" John asked. Monica looked around, scared. She couldn't see Scully, and only knew that she was close.  
  
"Monica don't move your head all right? Don't move it."  
  
"Okay," Monica replied to a Scully that seemed much closer than usual. Suddenly she felt something touch her eye, and pulled back. John grabbed her.  
  
"It's okay, Reyes, there's something in your eye," he said. Monica seemed to calm down.  
  
"I didn't get it," Scully said. "But it's there."  
  
"What's there?" Monica asked.  
  
"A layer of something over your eye."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"I'm not sure, but it's not a normal contact lens. I can't take it out. I want to operate. Straight away. Once we find out what it is we'll be able to look at who could have obtained it."  
  
"Wait," John said. "What if it's part of her eye now? You can't take it off." Scully sighed. She hadn't thought of that.  
  
"Okay, first thing's first-" she stopped as the door opened.  
  
"Agents," Skinner stated, walking in. "Reyes, how are you?"  
  
"Doing okay sir," Monica gasped. She couldn't see Skinner either.  
  
"Can you see me?"  
  
"No."  
  
"What about the TV?" She glanced up at the television and nodded as they turned it on.  
  
"Yeah, I can see it."  
  
Skinner put in the tape.  
  
"This was delivered to Follmer's house."  
  
"Brad?"  
  
"I think this is someone close to home-"  
  
Skinner pressed play. Monica watched carefully, her mouth opened. The picture showed her sitting on her kitchen bench, John standing opposite her as they kissed.  
  
"Jesus Christ!" Doggett exclaimed. He turned to Monica.  
  
"That's not real," Monica stammered. "It never happened."  
  
"It must have," Skinner replied. Monica shook her head.  
  
"No, it never happened, it's-" She stopped, her face burning as the video continued to get more graphic.  
  
"What is it Monica?" Scully asked. Monica couldn't seem to get the words out. "Agent Doggett?" she tried instead.  
  
"No idea," he mumbled, embarrassed.  
  
"It's a, a dream," Monica managed to whisper, staring at the scream.  
  
"A dream?" Scully asked.  
  
"Oh my God," Monica whispered still, hardly registering anyone else. On the tape, John said something to Monica. "What's he saying?" she asked.  
  
"He says 'beautiful'," Scully replied, turning up the volume and rewinding it momentarily so they could all hear it. "We think it could be a possible reason that the inscription appeared on the inside of your ring momentarily...Monica, when did you dream this?"  
  
"This is why I can't see you-"  
  
"Why?" Scully asked.  
  
"I want you to take those things off my eyes," she said, turning to where Scully's voice was coming from. "Take them off."  
  
"Monica I can't-"  
  
"Agent Reyes-" Skinner and John both started, watching the two women watching each other.  
  
"Take them off," she demanded still.  
  
*  
  
"Look after her Agent Scully-" Doggett warned as he watched Scully suit up for surgery.  
  
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."  
  
*  
  
"What is it?" John asked as Scully came back to where they were waiting.  
  
"She's in recovery. She's fine. It was a sheath, came right off." She held out a sample in a small bottle. "It appears to be some kind of permanent contact lens."  
  
"Harmful?"  
  
"Not sure what it will do, whether she'll be able to see at all without them. We'll wait until she wakes up."  
  
*  
  
Monica held John's hand tightly as Scully removed the tape from her eyes. They were slightly swollen, but there was no stitching or bruising, which was a good sign. Scully cleaned the skin of residue where the tape had stuck the cotton wool patches over her eyes after the operation.  
  
"Feel better?" she asked. Monica nodded. Scully took her hand and let Monica touch her cheek. "This is where I am. Now just open carefully. I'll tell you if you need to stop, or if you feel any pain close them immediately, same as last time."  
  
"Okay," Monica whispered, opening her eyes. Her hand was a shadow upon another shadow. She blinked furiously, her eyes starting to water uncontrollably.  
  
"Tissues, Agent Doggett," Scully ordered, and held them to Monica's cheeks as she opened her eyes, to pick up the tears that were working on cleaning the area. Scully looked carefully into Monica's eyes as she settled. She saw Monica start to smile, and knew that she could see her.  
  
"I can see you," she said, breaking into a grin. Scully took out her spotlight.  
  
"Eyes up...Down...Left and Right...How do they feel?"  
  
"Normal, a bit thick."  
  
"You've got some swelling. Now, hopefully if you look all the way to your left you'll see John." Monica did, and nodded.  
  
"Yeah, as always." He didn't smile, still concerned.  
  
"Well we solved that problem." The door burst open again and Skinner re- entered, this time with Follmer in tow.  
  
"Can she see yet?" Follmer asked.  
  
"Yes Brad, I'm fine," Monica replied. He smiled at her.  
  
"Good." Skinner held up a tape.  
  
"Now about this dream?"  
  
"I don't know when I had it, all I remember was that I dreamed it. It feels like... You know when something happens and you're not sure whether it happened or if you dreamed it? Like that."  
  
"And you are absolutely sure you've never done that before." Monica laughed.  
  
"Yes, I think I'd remember." She looked over at John, who raised his eyebrows.  
  
"So would I," he added.  
  
*  
  
Scully got rid of Skinner and Follmer so the three of them could talk properly. It was awkward enough for everyone as it was.  
  
"John do you have any recollection of this?" she asked as she played the tape again, looking for any inconsistencies, but it all appeared to be fine. It was Monica's apartment. That was, without a doubt, Monica and John.  
  
"No. I still don't know how you dreamed this?" he asked. "Are you sure?" Monica nodded.  
  
"I think so." Scully looked from John to Monica. She'd have to talk to him before he upset her somehow.  
  
"Here's my question," Scully cut in. "How did they tape it?"  
  
"Maybe when she was asleep they tapped in somehow, using those flashing lights-"  
  
"Agent Scully-" Skinner opened the door and she followed him outside.  
  
"They've got the outline of that figure from the tape."  
  
"And?"  
  
"And it looks very much like Agent Doggett." Scully took a look at the outline of the figure they had seen between the flashing lights, but that hadn't existed. It did appear to be Doggett.  
  
"Thanks," Scully replied, walking back into the room.  
  
*  
  
"You think they created that for me? That dream?"  
  
"Do you think you created it?" John asked. Monica shrugged.  
  
"I don't know." They looked at each other, silently, but were interrupted as Scully returned.  
  
"By sending us these tapes they were boasting about what they could do. I think this isn't something against Monica. I think this is something that's going to be used against everyone."  
  
"What's its purpose?"  
  
"To get information."  
  
"About?"  
  
"Everyone. Imagine if you could control someone's subconscious? Pretty cool, huh?"  
  
"I guess," Monica said.  
  
"What if these guys inputted that dream into your head and they're just boasting about what they've done?" John appeared to accept that explanation better.  
  
"So this is a warning?"  
  
"Hell of a warning," Monica sighed.  
  
"They'd have lots of access to optic technologies. I'm thinking we're looking at some kind of optic clinic."  
  
"Sounds good."  
  
"Monica, any optometrist visits with anything strange you remember?" Monica shrugged. "John can I talk to you outside?" He nodded, following her out.  
  
"You know that a lot of the time people have no control over their dreams-"  
  
"Yeah but-"  
  
"No buts, I don't want you holding this against her."  
  
"You think I'm holding this against her?"  
  
"Yes and stop repeating me. Who are we going after here?"  
  
"I don't know. I really don't. I still don't understand what happened to her." Scully handed him the folded sheet with the outline of him on it.  
  
"That figure in the video that wasn't really there, it's you."  
  
"What?"  
  
"That, I think, is the start of what you're seeing on the second tape."  
  
"A hallucination? She hallucinated it?"  
  
"She projected it."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because she was scared."  
  
"A fear test?"  
  
"Yeah." She lowered her voice even though there was no one else around to here. "Look, I didn't want to tell Monica, but there's evidence that she actually had a seizure. Which isn't unusual due to the surroundings, but there's the possibility that she stopped breathing and someone had to revive her. She's got palm bruises on her chest where someone would have administered CPR. Screw all this dream stuff, that they planted that there, I think they read her thought patterns near death."  
  
"That's the last thing she saw before she would have died?"  
  
"Yeah, except she didn't die. She wasn't meant to."  
  
"Jesus, close enough!"  
  
"I'm going to sign her out, I want you to take her home and make sure she's all right."  
  
"You think they'll try it again?"  
  
"We still don't know who this is. If it's an experiment, why haven't more people been admitted to hospital with visual problems?"  
  
To Be Continued... 


	3. Black and White Part 3

Monica was aware that John had a hand firmly holding her waist as he helped her into the house. She was still weak from not properly eating or drinking for a couple of days, and had only been out of bed once or twice in the last day in hospital. She hated to think it, but she could definitely get used to his arms around her.  
  
"You okay?" John asked as they got inside. Monica nodded. "Come on, Scully reckons you need to rest." She walked, on her own, into the bedroom, with John following closely. She looked around. The sheets had been changed, and the bed wasn't strewn like it had been the night she was taken, it was folded back neatly like they do in hotels. She turned briefly back to John and he managed a smile.  
  
*  
  
"What really happened?" Monica asked half an hour later as they were sitting on her bed, talking. "I mean, if it was just my eyes, I wouldn't have been so well looked-after-"  
  
"Of course you would've been!"  
  
"You know what I mean. I've never seen Scully that...well...protective of me, and I've been in hospital before. We all have." Doggett hesitated.  
  
"It wasn't a dream, Monica." She watched him carefully. "You had a seizure. It was some other kind of projection."  
  
"What?" Monica exclaimed. "You never told me that-"  
  
"Scully never told me that. She wasn't sure what was going on. If I had known, I would've told you."  
  
*  
  
"I think I've found him," Scully told John over the phone later that night. Beside him, Monica was fast asleep.  
  
"Who is he?" he whispered.  
  
"She asleep?"  
  
"Ahuh."  
  
"He's a scientist, local, whose thesis five years ago was on near death experiences and whether or not they exist."  
  
"You think he's trying to prove it himself?"  
  
"Yep. He works at the hospital we just left from, and so several of his victims could have been admitted to hospital, so that he could monitor them- "  
  
"What about the eye thing?"  
  
"He's just being creative? Another woman experiencing loss of sight has been brought in, except she doesn't have the same sheath over her eyes and she couldn't see through the blindfold like Monica could. She won't recover from her injury."  
  
"What else?"  
  
"I'm in the lab now with a team, working on the matter we got off Monica's eyes, and it consists of her DNA sequencing. It appears to be the start of a whole new lens. I don't know why she couldn't see people in particular, but however it grew, seems to be similar to the organ transplants they're manufacturing now."  
  
"As in, this was some kind of organ transplant but the eye wasn't able to see people, because, like, people are moving around or something?"  
  
"Perhaps. We don't know enough at the moment, but it wasn't put there to harm her. I think the light triggered it to grow itself. I'm trying to keep it quiet because whatever it is, we don't want a bunch of eager scientists jumping all over us here."  
  
"Okay. What now?"  
  
"He's being arrested. I'm going but I want you to stay with her."  
  
"Yeah, sure."  
  
"John, have you asked her about the medication you found?"  
  
"That's her business."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yeah." They hung up and John looked down. He could see Monica watching him.  
  
"Was that Scully?"  
  
"Yeah," he replied, as she reached out and turned on her bedside lamp so she could see him.  
  
"What did she say?" He told her what Scully had told him, and she seemed to accept it. "What now?"  
  
"She'll go to the arrest. I've been ordered to stay here."  
  
"You can leave any time," she smirked.  
  
"How old were you when you had bulimia?" he asked suddenly, without any thought. Monica's face drained of blood and John wished he could take back what he said.  
  
"Twelve," she replied softly. "You went through my rubbish?"  
  
"Of course I did. You were missing-" She nodded.  
  
"I know, I know, it's just weird when you learn that someone's done to you what you do to everyone else all the time. You know-" John smiled.  
  
"You don't have anything I haven't seen before."  
  
"Don't I?" John shrugged. "What about my tattoo?"  
  
"What tattoo?" John asked, wide-eyed all of a sudden. Monica laughed.  
  
"Gotcha!" He rolled his eyes at her. "Um, listen, John... I'm really sorry that what I saw was uh...shown, to everyone, I mean I don't even remember it and-"  
  
"It's okay."  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Well it's not like we have that kind of a relationship-"  
  
"What I'm curious about," John started. "Was that if it was a near death experience, I thought your life flashed before your eyes."  
  
"Maybe only for some people."  
  
"So what was it for you?"  
  
"I think maybe it was...everything I thought I missed out on, maybe." She watched him carefully.  
  
"You think you missed out on me?" Monica didn't reply. She was lying in bed and he was sitting in the chair next to her. "Monica?"  
  
"I...I don't know-"  
  
"You don't have to apologise for seeing something like that, you know, cos it must be something that even if you don't realise it, you really want, or need-" Monica nodded as she shrugged, drawing her gaze from him and looking up at the ceiling of her apartment. She felt John get out of the chair and lean over her. She watched him. "You are beautiful, Mon," he whispered, leaning over and kissing her cheek gently. Monica closed her eyes, falling asleep as John went back to his chair, waiting for Scully to call back with news of the arrest.  
  
To be continued... 


	4. Black and White Part 4

John was drifting off to sleep when he heard a brief two knocks on the door. He stood and looked through Monica's peephole, before opening it for Scully.  
  
"Agent Doggett, we have a problem," Scully said, letting herself in.  
  
"What is it?" he asked.  
  
"Well...Our doctor's dead." She handed him the photographs from the crime scene. "Has been for a couple of weeks, since Monica disappeared I'm guessing."  
  
"And no one noticed?" Disbelieving, John took a closer look at the photos.  
  
"It was a heart attack."  
  
"So are we dealing with a ghost?" John asked, suspicious. Please don't say yes, he thought to himself. He really couldn't take the ghost, spiritual stuff. That was closer to Monica's field of expertise. He still didn't actually believe in ghosts.  
  
"Not sure," Scully replied.  
  
"Wish this bitch would just solve itself," John sighed, leaning against the kitchen bench.  
  
"Well it's not going to do that," Monica explained from somewhere in the shadows. She moved forward and John saw she'd found her dressing gown, pulling it around her. "What is it Dana?"  
  
"Our suspect's dead!" John replied for her. "So now, of course, it must be some ghost-" Monica grabbed his wrist. He was talking with his hands and becoming too animated for her to follow.  
  
"It wasn't a ghost," she stated plainly.  
  
"Monica, you were asleep the whole time-"  
  
"I have a theory," Scully interrupted, and they both stopped and looked at her. "I think there was a reason why you could see straight through that blindfold."  
  
"What?" Monica asked, slipping into a stool in the kitchen.  
  
"It didn't exist."  
  
"Yeah it did, we all saw it," John said.  
  
"Are you sure you saw it?" John shook his head and sighed.  
  
"I don't believe this. So what, we only imagined we saw it? The whole hospital? Where is it now?"  
  
"John wait-" Monica said, looking over at Scully. "What have you got?"  
  
"Well Doctor Shea and a friend were working on experiments that looked at people's near death experiences, and he's documented them. He's got tapes, but it was all consensual."  
  
"This was a pretty straightforward abduction though," Monica stated. "They even sent the tapes as some kind of show-"  
  
"Exactly," Scully replied. "And since this man was dead, he's not responsible for your abduction. I think he's responsible, though, for your sight." She handed Monica a folder of documents. Doggett went and switched on the main kitchen light so they could all read properly. "Shea was an optic specialist, much like the one that was with me when we did take that damn blindfold off-" Monica nodded. "And as you can see-"  
  
"He's been experimenting with eye tissue," Monica observed.  
  
"Before he died, he developed a prototype for literally growing a healthy pair of eyes from genetic material."  
  
"But blindness is caused by the genetic material-"  
  
"In some cases, but for accident victims or people with cataracts as a result of another condition...This would be perfect."  
  
"Does it work?" Monica asked.  
  
"I'm turning the research over to the blind institute, we'll see. In the meantime-"  
  
"Was the research shared previously?"  
  
"No. I think Shea was looking out for you."  
  
"But he was dead," John stated.  
  
"Yes," Scully replied, as if to ask 'so?' "What if Shea knew what this person was doing, or found out what they were planning for you, and-" Monica's brow creased.  
  
"A business partner, perhaps?"  
  
"There are two possibilities. He did have a partner, who got into some money trouble. Shea has also filed police reports of a possible stalker. I don't have the reports for the details yet but what if he bragged?"  
  
"But why did he protect Monica and not anybody else?" John asked.  
  
"Monica, when was the last time you went to the optometrist?"  
  
"Three weeks-"  
  
"Anything interesting happen?"  
  
"Not sure, I hadn't been to anything outside of Quantico for ages. Seemed routine...They called me though, said they'd just opened and would love to get some regular clients in, were doing a ring around to see if they could book anyone."  
  
"What if I told you that the material was put over your eyes then, in premeditation of your abduction?"  
  
"But why didn't they just stop me being-"  
  
"Because while they don't want you to go blind, they are aware of this project and they want to know the results. There are two people here. Shea, who wrote his thesis on near death experiences, then became an optometrist- "  
  
"Interesting career path," John mumbled.  
  
"And someone who's much more interested in near death experiences than Shea was, and who somehow got this man involved."  
  
"All right," John tried. "The suspect might work in the hospital, just like Shea?"  
  
"Likely," Scully replied.  
  
"So he realises that Monica can see, and kills Shea."  
  
"That's what I'm thinking," Scully nodded. "Those lenses protected Monica's eyes, the blindfold wasn't put on her until she was given back though." Scully handed John the photo of Monica's arm, the one that had been written on - the warning not to take the blindfold off. Monica took it from him and put it next to the reports.  
  
"It's the same handwriting."  
  
"He returned her?"  
  
"You say you were walking around the house, didn't see or hear anyone around when you found her?"  
  
"Yeah," John replied.  
  
"There was no one around then."  
  
"It was Shea-" Monica stated. "What did he do? Rescue me?"  
  
"We made a small mistake before," Scully stated, handing them the outline from the video, that hadn't showed up any infra-red. "That's not John, looks like him, but it's Shea."  
  
"He was in the room with me?" Scully nodded.  
  
"Sure was. If we find out where this all took place, we might be able to fix this up for good."  
  
"What about the blindfold?" Monica asked.  
  
"I think you could see through it because it was your genetic material as well, but it's still being tested. Has some interesting properties." Scully paused, deciding not to list them. "Uh, Monica, we need a location-"  
  
"And?" Monica asked. "You said it yourself I was asleep-"  
  
"Would you consider hypnosis."  
  
"No way!" John exclaimed.  
  
"Okay," Monica replied steadily. "When?"  
  
"As soon as possible."  
  
*  
  
"Monica can you tell me where you are? Describe where you are."  
  
"I'm in a room. It's got nothing in it and it's...all white. There's no one in there with me...There's a noise, like an old camera shutter clicking except much louder. Right in my face. I can't move without it happening. I think it's something to keep me where I am."  
  
"Are your eyes closed or open?"  
  
"It goes black and I open them." Monica gasped. "There's a, someone else there...Who are you?..."  
  
"What's this person telling you Monica?" Scully and John looked on nervously.  
  
"He says not to worry. The others haven't worked but that I will. That I'll be okay. He knows my name. Who I am. He says that my friends will look after me...He's leaving. He tells me not to move and to close my eyes...It goes white again. I'm somewhere else now..."  
  
"Describe where you are."  
  
"I'm looking at the Statue of Liberty, I'm, I'm on the observation deck of the World Trade Center. I'm with Brad." The hypnotist looked back at Scully and she nodded to continue.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"Watching, talking, not much, but now I'm falling." They watched as Monica became agitated. "Everyone else is standing and I'm-" She stops.  
  
"Monica, what's happening?"  
  
"It's black again."  
  
"Are you still in the room?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Can you skip ahead a bit Monica? Do you remember waking up?"  
  
"In hospital."  
  
"Okay just before that."  
  
"John found me in my house."  
  
"How did you get there?"  
  
"I, it was white again, and then it was black and I hit the floor."  
  
"Okay," Scully said. "Bring her out."  
  
*  
  
Monica yawned as they sat at their office desks that night.  
  
"Agent Reyes what are you doing here?" Skinner asked, walking in.  
  
"Where else am I going to be?" she asked. He didn't reply.  
  
"How's the theory?"  
  
"Altered," Scully replied, glancing up at him from her notes. "We don't think the facility was examining any form of sleep of near death experiences-"  
  
"Well that's a change."  
  
"We think it's purposely testing the growth of this new lens, and that the light inducing these visions or projections is a side effect."  
  
"Do you have any evidence for this one?"  
  
"Less than the last."  
  
"Agents, I know this is taking a lot of thinking over, but if you could actually do something, perhaps they would stop talking upstairs."  
  
"Why would we care what they say?" John asked. "We never go up there for very long."  
  
"That's a good point, Agent."  
  
*  
  
"Could be anywhere," Scully started up again once he'd left. "If it was some kind of secret experimental facility it's not going to be marked with a big red spot."  
  
"Let's do something then," Monica said. "Like he said. Who can we talk to?"  
  
"Shea's wife," Scully replied. "There's also the business partner, who's come clean. I don't think he's connected. Can't find this guy who was supposed to be stalking Shea. I think he's the link."  
  
"An eager researcher, perhaps?" John asked, showing them a page. "Michael Hoskins. Twenty-eight. His ideas on eye surgery were knocked back by the board due to insufficient testing."  
  
"What were his ideas?" Monica asked.  
  
"That if the material was genetically masked rejection of the transplant wouldn't occur."  
  
"Where is he?"  
  
"No idea. Just tried him then but no one's answering, we should drive around."  
  
"What if Hoskins was testing people, and boasting to Shea about it. Certainly that would fit with his sending us the tapes," Monica said. "And he realised that Shea had done something to me, and killed him, but Shea never left."  
  
"This gets more bizarre every day," John sighed. "All right who's up for it?"  
  
"I'll go to Shea's wife," Scully said. "You two can tag along to check out Hoskins."  
  
*  
  
"Are you another detective?" Mrs Shea asked as Scully opened the door. She showed the woman her ID.  
  
"Special Agent Dana Scully. May I come in? I won't be long."  
  
"Sure." Shea led Scully inside and they took a seat in the family room. "What can I do for you?"  
  
"Do you know about your husband's plans for optic organ growth?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"He told you?"  
  
"Well, he wrote me a letter."  
  
"May I see it?"  
  
"Of course." Mrs Shea left the room for a second and Scully collected her thoughts. Toxicology had come back and it revealed Mr Shea had been injected with adrenalin, enough to cause a heart attack. As his wife returned, she handed Scully the letter.  
  
"Thankyou. Where were you when your husband died?"  
  
"I was at my sister's, in Florida. We'd had a fight and I left for a holiday. I thought he'd call." Scully's eyes drifted over the letter. He knew he was in trouble. Someone knew what he'd done and he didn't think he'd be around much longer. The letter told of his plans and where they were kept. It also told of his discovery of the next trial patient, of who she was and how she was connected to him, and that he wasn't going to let her be ruined. He agreed to help the man who was trialling the incomplete idea, in order to save her life. To distract police the near death experience was set up... Scully looked up at Mrs Shea, who was watching her read.  
  
"What was your husband's connection to the woman described in this letter?"  
  
"He never told me." Scully nodded, believing her.  
  
"May I get a copy of this and bring it back?"  
  
"Certainly. Is there anything else?"  
  
"Not at the moment Mrs Shea, thankyou very much."  
  
*  
  
"He's cleared out," John observed. Monica opened the fridge, peering inside.  
  
"Milk's out of date," she replied. "I don't think he's been here in a while."  
  
"Me neither." John's phone rang. "John Doggett-"  
  
"I've got it," Scully replied. "I know what happened. Shea wrote a letter to his wife explaining most of it."  
  
"He give a location?"  
  
"No. That part I don't know, but we can wrap this case up tonight. I just need the rest of the genetics results I ordered."  
  
"All right we'll meet you back at the office."  
  
"Find anything?"  
  
"He's cleared out. No sign of life. Looks like he went to work one day and never came back."  
  
*  
  
Dear Susan  
  
I'm writing you this as a record, for I don't know how much time I have left. As you know a man has been pursuing me. His name is Michael Hoskins. He has similar ideas to what I'm gathering evidence on at the moment - whether it's possible to grow optic lenses from genetic material.  
  
However, his plans are flawed. He has bragged several times about his experiments on animals and more recently, five humans, four of whom have died. I am hoping, at least, that it is only four.  
  
He has chosen these "patients" from my own client list at the clinic, where I am unknowingly conducting my own research. When I discovered who the next of Hoskin's patients would be, I called them into the clinic and trialed my own method on her without her consent. I believe that this should protect her from Hoskin's experiments, but I cannot be certain of this.  
  
She is a federal agent, who I have taken a great interest in since she first visited my clinic for a check up in New York. It was lucky I found her again, hopefully in time.  
  
I'm writing this because I believe Hoskin's has discovered my meddling with the woman's sight, and he will be angered by this. Hoskin's, while he is true to his ideals and is passionate about his work, has been taking increased pleasure in the unsuccessful outcomes of his trials. I believe he has developed a total disregard to human life, and wishes not to explore the possibilities of a cure for blindness, but the possibilities to cause pain and suffering on innocent victims.  
  
Monica stopped reading and looked up at Scully and John.  
  
"You remember seeing him in New York?"  
  
"Probably, I'm sure I did go, but I don't remember him or anything about it. It was a long time ago. It explains a lot though."  
  
"Basically convicts him of murder," John stated. "We'll find him now."  
  
"Why was he important to me?" Monica asked Scully.  
  
"Maybe he just didn't want anyone else to die," John replied.  
  
"That can't be it. He's being almost secretive about it-"  
  
"I agree," Scully said. "I've been running his background since this morning. If there's something there, we'll find it." Monica nodded.  
  
"What else?" She asked, seeing the hesitation in Scully's eyes.  
  
"That's all." I don't believe you, Monica thought, but kept it to herself.  
  
To be Continued... 


	5. Black and White Part 5

SEVERAL WEEKS LATER  
  
Scully ducked under the police tape and walked up to the office building. She jumped into the elevator and went down to the basement. From the basement she took another staircase down to an empty room. She looked around. It was painted white; all the walls, the floor and roof, all white. She walked through an open door that, if it had been closed, you wouldn't have been able to distinguish. John and Monica were already down there, and John pressed the button to close the automatic door as she walked through. On this side was a room painted black, with several computers and cameras set up. Yet the thing that caught Scully's attention most was the dead man that Monica was leaning over.  
  
"It's Hosksins," she informed Scully.  
  
"I can see that," Scully replied, covering her nose with her hand briefly. "Not long after Shea I'd say." She walked around and looked at what Monica was looking at.  
  
"Cause of death is interesting," Monica said at the same time. Scully saw it immediately. His eyes had been taken out. There was blood all down his front and on the controls in front of him.  
  
"He hasn't been moved?" Scully asked, hiding her shock.  
  
"No," John replied. "Died right like that, looking out into the room. No blood anywhere else, doesn't look like it happened somewhere and then he sat down at all."  
  
"So who did it?" Scully asked.  
  
"I think it was Shea," Monica said. "And I was right in there at the time."  
  
*  
  
"Any idea why he rescued you and none of the others?" John asked Monica the next night as they were sitting on her couch eating Chinese. Monica shrugged, shovelling some more fried rice into her mouth.  
  
"Nuh," she replied, her mouth full. "Maybe he didn't realise he could for the first few, until he got sucked in and got close enough to look over the details." They both fell into silence for some time. "Glad it's over but."  
  
"Yeah," John replied.  
  
"Hey did you really think I'd be blind when you found me?" John took a moment before nodding. "Would you have looked after me anyway?"  
  
"No, Monica, I would have decided that we just couldn't be seen together any more, and that really, we should both look for other partners."  
  
"I'm so tempted to throw this rice at you, but then I'd have to clean it up." John smirked.  
  
"You think we'd all just piss off as soon as something happened?"  
  
"I'm just playing with you, John." They finished eating.  
  
"Thanks for dinner. I should be off-"  
  
"No way, you're staying on the couch."  
  
"Am I?"  
  
"It's late, too much of a bother." She smiled at him, standing up and collecting their boxes.  
  
*  
  
John was in the shower and Monica was lying across her bed, looking over a new case, when the phone rang as the water stopped running. She picked it up.  
  
"Monica Reyes."  
  
"It's Scully, Monica, I've got some information you might be interested in."  
  
John came out of the bathroom with his pants on and a towel hanging around his shoulders. Monica was sitting on the bed, looking concerned as she put the phone down.  
  
"What is it?" he asked. "Monica?"  
  
"HuH?" she asked, looking up. "Oh, um, nothing, don't worry. Goodnight John."  
  
To Be Continued... 


	6. Black and White Part 6 final chapter

"No way Monica-" John said, walking straight up to her. "Who was it?"  
  
"Dana."  
  
"And?"  
  
"And it doesn't really matter, don't worry about it-" She looked up at him. John watched her carefully, kneeling down in front of her as she sat on the bed.  
  
"Tell me."  
  
"It's Shea."  
  
"He floating around somewhere else now?" John asked, trying to make a joke. Monica smiled momentarily.  
  
"No. We're related."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Scully ran his DNA opposite mine. It's, well, similar."  
  
"How related are you?"  
  
"Scully thinks maybe uncle."  
  
"Oh wow."  
  
"He must have found out years ago-"  
  
"Do you want to pursue it?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"You have no idea about your parents, right?" She shook her head.  
  
"None."  
  
"You never wondered?"  
  
"I guess, when I was younger I did, but not for a long time."  
  
"Well does he have brothers or sisters?"  
  
"Um, Scully says Shea had two brothers, and that one of them is dead. She didn't say when or how." They paused. "Would you want to know?"  
  
"I dunno. Perhaps."  
  
"I don't think I do." John nodded as he saw her eyes start to gather tears. "Does that make me...a bad person, do you think?" John shook his head.  
  
"Of course not," he replied, smiling. "You know who you are, that's enough." Monica nodded, reaching out and hugging him. John hugged her back. "And you can always go back to it if one day you change your mind." He heard her sniffle and pulled back.  
  
"Thankyou," she replied.  
  
"Absolutely not a problem." He paused. "You wanna go for a walk?" Monica laughed.  
  
"Where? It's after midnight."  
  
"I don't know. It's a nice night." She got off the bed and grabbed her bag as Doggett threw his shirt back on. They were half way out the door as the phone rang. John grabbed Monica's hand and almost pulled her out.  
  
"Ignore it." Monica groaned. She really liked that he had her hand held to tightly, but she also really needed to get that phone call. The machine got it -  
  
"This is Monica Reyes. I can't come to the phone but leave your name and number and I'll get back to you" - BEEP -  
  
"Agent Reyes," It was Skinner. "We need you and Doggett on a plane ASAP. Call me back and I'll get you the details." Monica looked over at John and they hesitated.  
  
"You were at my place the whole night, and never got the message."  
  
"The whole night?" Monica asked. John shrugged, smiling.  
  
"You fell asleep on the couch." Monica grinned.  
  
"Ahh, and so when Skinner calls your place-"  
  
"I hit the delete button by mistake before I heard who it was. Woops."  
  
"John!" Monica smirked. He shrugged.  
  
"Come on, we need a break, if only for one night. We'll get on that plane first thing tomorrow morning." They locked Monica's door and walked hand in hand down and around the block a couple of times, enjoying the night air.  
  
"You think the blind institute will pick up Shea's research?"  
  
"I have no doubt they'll check it out. It's definitely a start. Protected you, didn't it?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess."  
  
"Why do you think you could see but no one else but?"  
  
"Maybe I couldn't see you," Monica replied thoughtfully. "Maybe I only wanted to see you."  
  
*****  
  
Stay tuned for the next installation :D Hope you enjoyed. I have no medical experience so if I screwed something very sorry!! Please R/R 


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